Painkiller overdoses common even with OTC drugs

It’s the OTHER painkiller crisis — the one that’s not getting anything close to the attention given to the opioid epidemic.

But this one is bigger, more common, and in many ways far worse.

Because this one is much more likely to affect YOU.

Even if you’ve never touched an opioid… even if you’ve never so much as dreamed of swallowing a prescription pain pill… you could STILL suffer from a problem with painkillers.

A new study shows how MILLIONS of Americans are overusing and outright abusing common over-the-counter painkillers, especially NSAIDs such as ibuprofen for everyday pain conditions.

Yet most of them have no idea that they’re doing anything wrong!

The study finds that 15 percent of the people who take NSAIDS actually overdose, even if they don’t realize it.

They take more than the maximum daily limit at least once in any given week.

Going by individual drugs, more than 1 in 10 who use ibuprofen — a.k.a. Advil and Motrin, not to mention dozens of popular store brands — take more than the maximum daily dose.

And in folks who use naproxen (a.k.a. Aleve) the number is even higher: Nearly 1 in 4 top the maximum daily dose at least once a week.

Some of them pop a pill before they’re even due for the next dose.

Some end up knocking back two kinds of NSAIDs, like naproxen with an ibuprofen chaser, thinking they’ll get double the relief. Since more than 60 percent don’t know that both are NSAIDs, they don’t realize that combining these meds can be just as bad as an overdose.

These aren’t people who think they have a problem.

They’re people just like you — people with recurring aches and pains that come and go. Maybe it’s back and neck pain. Maybe it’s a headache. Maybe it’s joint pain. Or maybe it’s an injury.

Whatever the cause, they’re in pain, so they hit the bottle of ibuprofen that’s supposed to be just the thing for these situations.

Then they hit it again.

And again.

And again.

After all, these aren’t opioid drugs. They’re not even prescription drugs. They’re supposed to be safe.

But they’re not safe.

Taking too much can cause side effects in the short term, including painful bleeding in the gut and kidney damage.

And over the long run, NSAIDs in normal doses can even increase the risk of serious problems up to and including heart attack.

There are much safer options for dealing with those stubborn aches and pains that keep showing up, including topical painkillers such as MSM.

For even more relief, make anti-inflammatory supplements such as curcumin and fish oil part of your daily routine.

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